Department Spotlight: Informatics

Jen Thomason, Andrea Schuyler, Shannon Black, Wendy Guerra, Helen King, Trevor Forrest and CJ Wachs.

Pam Maxwell, Janex Stedman, Rebecca Lovan, Brandy Carich and Lauri Mecklenburg

The electronic health record – real-time patient health information –– maybe the most important piece of information providers use on a daily basis. Containing the following patient data: past medical history, vital signs, progress notes, diagnoses, medications, immunization dates, allergies, lab data and imaging reports, the EHR helps providers across Beacon Health System to make informed clinical decisions and coordinate care.

Beacon’s Informatics team is a group of intelligent and dedicated individuals who work behind the scenes to help make the EHR an efficient and effective tool for providers making patient-care decisions.

As part of their job, Informatics is responsible for the following:

• EHR training of all incoming providers, new Beacon Medical Group staff and the development of training material for new and ongoing education on EHR process and procedures
• Assessment, development and implementation of best practice EHR needs based on changing health care practices, new or changing reimbursement models and new or changing regulatory requirements
• Work as a member of interdisciplinary teams to develop efficient process in the EHR use to ensure safe, efficient, patient-centered care across the Beacon

And because of their hard work, some of the accomplishments for this year include:

• Implementation of Care Compass (helps the collaborative care team to organize, prioritize and plan patient care by providing the right information at the right time) at Memorial and Elkhart General
• Implement improved functionality for BMG primary care positions using Cerner
• Implemented new obstetrics workflow and office visit for the BMG offices
• Develop and implement Infusion billing
• Improve the workflow and documentation for utilization review
• Begin the process for standardization for processing requests

Thank you to this outstanding team of individuals who by their expertise are helping to drive world-class care at Beacon.

CJ Wachs, Director of Clinical Informatics
Lauri Mecklenburg, Manager Informatics Trainers
Shannon Black, Clinical Informatics Specialists
Andrea Schuyler, Clinical Informatics Specialists
Helen King, Clinical Informatics Specialists
Wendy Guerra, Clinical Informatics Specialists
Jennifer Thomason, Clinical Informatics Specialists
Pam Maxwell, Clinical Informatics Educator
Brandy Carich, System Application Specialist
Rebecca Lovan, System Application Specialist
Janex Stedman, System Application Specialist
Trevor Forrest, System Application Specialist

In addition to this team of Informatics embedded in Beacon’s Information Systems Department, there are also a number of staff who work as Informatics in various Beacon departments to provide end-user support and system development for these specific areas. Areas include:
•       Lab – James Nelson, Scott Williamson
•       Pharmacy – Al Smith, Sherry Berkley, Rachel Watts, Andrew Belting
•       Medical Records – Michelle Holden, Michele Archer
•       NICU – Jen Stabnik
•       Mother Baby – Lauren Rose
•       Memorial Therapy – James Bogol
•       Surgery – Diane Robaska